THE PERFECT STRIPED JUMPER

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder? Too cheesy? Maybe. And I fucking hate cheese at the best of times. I can confirm, however, that such is true in relation to my blog.

Truthfully, since my prolonged absence, I have felt somewhat dispirited about it all. I started jayneemma.co.uk (or what it was called at the time - electraviolet) five years ago and since then, so much has changed in my life. I've been studying fashion journalism at university for two years and I now live in London in my own (albeit rented) flat - two goals that I constantly and desperately daydreamed about achieving since I was fifteen. And now, in some ways, studying fashion journalism feeds the hunger to write more yet in some ways it just drains it.

Perhaps this is because studying fashion journalism fulfils the very desire that led me to creating this blog in the first place. And while I throughly enjoy my course despite all of the I-can’t-think-of-any-ideas panic, stress and sleepless nights that it brings, I write to fit a purpose and although such doesn’t make the endeavour any less enjoyable, I still miss writing completely of my own volition.

Of late, whenever I have tried to put pen to paper for a post, I have become stuck, unable to think of anything worthy of publishing. Perhaps this blockage is due to the fact that I have become so tuned to writing to fit a certain brief that I have all but forgotten how to write for myself. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I am so used to pouring everything into my portfolios of work for university that I am left feeling that anything I could possibly publish on here would be inferior in comparison. Or perhaps it is due to the fact that 'blogging' has changed so much in the past two years in which I have become a complacent 'blogger', even though I would argue that the status never bothered me much anyway, but regardless, something does feel different and it has for awhile now. Maybe it's me or maybe it's a bit of both.

When I consider constructing a post for this blog, I focus on the words rather than the pictures. I have always been more concerned with the written content. Nowadays, fashion blogs seem to favour the former and not that there is anything wrong with such. Fashion journalism in all manners is becoming increasingly wordless as the days go by, with magazine after magazine adopting a digital only format or folding altogether - a trend which of course fills me with the utmost confidence for the future as a current fashion journalism student. Personally, I am primarily absorbed with creating a post that I am proud to publish, rather than having picture perfect images and lacking in much else.

Although, all that aside, on inspecting these pictures after they were taken back in Autumn (can you tell I’m a serial procrastinator?!), I was very pleasantly surprised. The pictures were taken by my boyfriend on our flat’s fire escape and I am happy know that I have an easily accessible and pleasing backdrop to shoot outfit pictures without ever having to leave the comfort of my own home, despite the bemused looks from neighbours and resident builders, mind. I’m sure my boyfriend will be thrilled to know that he is to be placed on official photographing duties from now on.

At the time of shooting, the jumper of absolute dreams was freshly plucked from it's hanger and has been on heavy rotation since purchase. I had been on the hunt for a long sleeved jumper of multi-coloured stripe variety ever since I spotted the £690 Gucci version on none other than, you guessed it - Alexa Chung. Casting all dreams of owning the aforementioned style aside, I was strolling down Carnaby Street one evening when the perfect fit (note: no pastel tones, not too glittery and no odd colour combinations) was hanging high and proud in Monki. To seal that such a find was fashion fate, a few days later I spied that Megan Ellaby - aka one of my favourite fashion bloggers and a firm style inspiration - bought the same jumper in her vlog. I guess if I hadn’t found the garment that evening, I certainly would have done thanks to Megan.

I paired the striped glory with my favoured white jeans and I think the two match perfectly. White jeans really are heaven and hell in garment form. The denim looks good with just about anything but god help you keeping them mark free, especially when wearing red lipstick. Wear with caution.

Despite not being featured much on here, the patent trench coat is a firm wardrobe essential. Since purchasing the outerwear a year and a half ago, it has barely left my body. The coat of wonders has this amazing quality of pairing with just about any outfit incarnation, and elevating those that would otherwise be lacklustre. I never want to take it off. I could almost sleep with it on - cocooned like a bat in a coat that can only be best described as akin to something out of The Matrix film - save for the annoying squeaking, that is.

You May Also Like

7 comments

I completely agree with blogging changing in the past two years, I think its down to the rise of instagram as people would rather see an instant snap rather than a full post, it makes me sad! I adore this look, I love how you mentioned both Alexa Chun & Megan Ellaby, two of my fave style inspos as well. In love with this vinyl coat, such a statement piece that looks amazing on you!Love seeing your posts!

Aw thank you Lucy! That's so true, I understand why people prefer to consume fashion content on Instagram as it's so fast and accessible but I will forever still love blogs and magazines too as I love the detail they offer. xxx

That jumper is great! As is this whole outfit, and I feel you on the blogging thing, though I study physics so my blog is still an escape and a way to let my creativity flow and weirdly enough even though I started off with my blog wanting to persue photography I've gotten a lot more into the written stuff lately. I look forward to reading blogs rather than just looking at pictures and love finding new websites and magazines with written content that's engaging! I think there's room for both styles <3